This invention relates to a rigging connection assembly. It relates particularly to apparatus for swivally connecting rigging in the form of a rod or rope to a mast or other tubular member.
Rigging such as guys and stays are of course used in a variety of applications to help support towers, poles and the like. The primary interest here, however, is with rigging used in marine applications, for example, to help support a mast on a sailboat. Such rigging usually consists of rods or wire ropes which extend from points near the top of the mast down to points on the boat outboard of the mast step. Since the present connection assembly has particular utility in connection with rod rigging, we will describe the invention in that context.
Conventionally, three different types of connections have been used to attach the end of a stay rod to a spar or mast. In the first type, a socket terminating in an eye is swaged onto the end of the rod. Then the eye is removably secured by means of a pin to an ear projecting out from the mast. In the second type of connection a fork type fitting is secured to the end of the rod by swaging or otherwise. Then the fork is secured to an ear projecting out from the mast by means of a clevis pin. Finally, in the third type of rod securement, a ball is formed on the end of the rod or is attached thereto by swaging. Then the ball is secured to the mast by means of a plate through which the ball projects, the plate being removably secured to the outside of the mast by screws.
All three of these conventional rod securements have certain drawbacks which cause lost time and inconvenience to the user. More particularly, in order to replace a broken stay terminated in the conventional way, pins or screws have to be removed and reinstalled. This can be difficult and time consuming, particularly if these fittings have become corroded. Also the small parts may be dropped and become lost during the course of such repair. Further, these exterior connections between the stay and the mast are invariably made at the outside of the mast. Consequently, being irregular in shape, they have relatively high wind resistance and therefore they may adversely affect to some extent the sealing characteristics of the boat.